Cruise, the autonomous vehicle company backed by General Motors and Honda, is bringing its international robotaxi service in Dubai.
In preparation for a planned launch of its international robotaxi in 2023, two of Cruise autonomous Chevrolet Bolt electric vehicles were sent to the streets of Dubai to begin mapping of the city, as per Tech Crunch.
The move of Cruise follows after the company has officially launched its commercial driverless operations in the city of San Francisco.
Cruise is Selected as Dubai's Exclusive Robotaxi Supplier
A partnership agreement between Cruise and the Road and Transport Authority (RTA) of Dubai was signed last April.
The agreement specified that a robotaxi service will be opened in the city as part of UAE ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum's vision, which is to "convert 25% of total transportation trips in the city to self-driving trips by 2030."
Cruise was selected as Dubai's sole robotaxi supplier until 2029, after a "comprehensive, multi-year process to choose the best possible partner," as per Tech Crunch.
The two Chevy Bolts started the mapping operations on Sunday. The vehicles, driven by humans with special training, are initially deployed in the Jumeirah area of the city.
To collect data about the car's surrounding environment, the vehicles are equipped with Cruise's sensor suite including lidar, radar and cameras. It has the capacity to make a virtual map for the autonomous driver.
According to Cruise, the robotaxi service in Dubai will use Cruise Origins. It is the company's "purpose-built all-electric shuttle that has no steering wheel or pedals," according to Tech Times.
Meanwhile, Mattar Al Tayer, the director-general of RTA, stated that by 2023, he hopes to reach 4,000 Cruise Origins in Dubai.
However, currently Cruise doesn't have any Origins in operation. According to a Cruise spokesperson, the company has only built Origins for the closed course testing.
Read Also: Elon Musk: Tesla Robotaxi Mass Production Targeted in 2024 | Cheaper than Bus Tickets?
Dubai Slowly Transitions from Human-Driven to Driverless Vehicles
As of the moment, the process of achieving a self-driving service in Dubai is not yet clear. This is due to UAE's different regulatory environment.
In San Francisco, Cruise started with testing its AVs with drivers behind the wheel. Then, the company opened up a free service to employees, afterwards with the public.
Later on, Cruise started charging for rides with drivers. Simultaneously, the company is also testing its fleet with no driver.
The driverless service is then again first made available to employees, then to the public later on. Afterwards, Cruise was finally able to charge fees for it.
Around the world, Dubai is considered as an important hub for automakers and tech companies. Its futuristic projects are well known. Thus, the prospect of self-driving cars excites the residents.
With UAE ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum's vision, Dubai is exerting effort for the development of autonomous vehicles. The city is also taking steps to incorporate the technology into their public transportation system.
Through Cruise, Dubai is slowly transitioning from human-driven vehicles to driverless vehicles. This will lead to an efficient transportation system that will greatly benefit not only the tourists, but the residents as well.
Related Article: Baidu Unveils Its Newest Self-Driving Robotaxi, the Apollo RT6 EV
